Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death and will kill an estimated 37,000 people this year alone. The prostate gland, which is found exclusively in male mammals, produces several regulatory peptides. The prostate gland comprises stromal and epithelium cells, the latter group consisting of columnar secretory cells and basal non-secretory cells. A proliferation of these basal cells, as well as stromal cells gives rise to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is one common prostate disease. Another common prostate disease is prostatic adenocarcinoma (CaP), the most common of the fatal pathophysiological prostate cancers. Prostatic adenocarcinoma involves a malignant transformation of epithelial cells in the peripheral region of the prostate gland. Prostatic adenocarcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia are two common prostate diseases which have a high rate of incidence in the aging human male population. Approximately one out of every four males above the age of 55 suffers from a prostate disease of some form or another.
To date, various substances that are synthesized and secreted by normal, benign and cancerous prostates are used as tumor markers to gain an understanding of the pathogenesis of the various prostate diseases and in the diagnosis of prostate disease. The three predominant proteins or peptides secreted by a normal prostate gland are Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP), Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and prostatic inhibin (PIP) also known as human seminal plasma inhibin (HSPI). Both PSA and PAP have been studied as tumor markers in the detection of prostate disease but since both exhibit elevated levels in prostates having benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPM) neither marker is specific and therefore are of limited use.
Despite the available knowledge, little is known about the genetic basis underlying prostate cancer disease and the androgen-regulated genes that may be involved with its progression. Although androgens have been known to play a major role in the biology of prostate cancer, the full complexity of hormonal regulation has not been completely elucidated. Many of these processes involve molecules associated with prostate cancer, that remain elusive. In addition, there may be several known molecules that have not yet been associated with the pathogenesis of the disease. Accordingly, a need exists for identifying unknown proteins are associated with prostate disorders and the nucleic acid sequences encoding them. A need also exists for identifying known proteins and nucleic acid sequences encoding them, that have not yet been implicated in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, particularly those that can serve as tumor markers for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of prostate disorder.